MPI’s 2007 World Education Congress (WEC), which was held July 28-31 in Montreal and drew in approximately 3,700 attendees, announced the association is opening an Asia office in Singapore to further its global reach.
“Our first goal is to evolve from an association to a global community,” said Bruce MacMillan, MPI’s president and CEO, at the opening general session of the event, which focused on collaboration and making connections.
The theme will filter down through the membership experience, according to 2007-2008 MPI Chairwoman Angie Pfeifer, CMM, and will hinge on collaboration between members.
“It’s not MPI telling you, ‘Here are the rules for you,” but ‘What is success to you?’” Pfeifer said, “because success is different for everyone.”
Pfeifer said the association has set up a “community model” with five communities that will allow meeting planner members at different skill and experience levels to collaborate via “wikis,” blogs and other online networking opportunities.
“You can build it and hopefully they’ll come,” Pfeifer said, quoting MacMillian, “or you can build it and they’re already there.”
During her tenure, Pfeifer said she wants to make sure the association has “complete clarity” on its updated vision, which focuses on globalization, and that members will see tangible results. An emphasis will also be placed on forming industry alliances for research and other projects, and engaging members at all levels, especially senior members.
Other major happenings at the WEC included the announcement that the MPI Board of Directors gave unanimous approval to the United Nationals Global Compact on Corporate Social Responsibility.
“It’s really a great opportunity and a great risk if we don’t respond,” Pfeifer said of the decision. “We leave a big footprint as an industry, and we need to make sure our members understand the tools [available to explain the need for environmentally responsible meetings to C-level executives].”
MPI also announced the host destinations for its upcoming annual events. Atlanta was chosen as the host city for the 2009 PEC-North America, to be held Feb. 7-10, 2009. Torino, Italy, will be the host city for the 2009 PEC-Europe, which will be held March 1-3, 2009. The 2010 PEC-Europe host city will be Malaga, Spain, and the event is scheduled for Feb. 28-March 2, 2010.
